With 18,000 students and nearly 1,000 faculty members, the UVSQ recently decided to use Wooclap in its classrooms, in an effort to make classes more dynamic.

Marjolaine Chiriaco, Senior Lecturer at UVSQ, was kind enough to share her thoughts on — and experience with Wooclap with us, as well as her perspective on the challenges of education.

How to use Wooclap?

Mrs. Chiriaco usually uses Wooclap during the first few minutes of class, to ask a series of questions. The results of these inquiries allow her to adapt the course, depending on the degree to which her students understand the different subjects.

Some teachers previously used clickers, but smartphones are easier for teachers and students alike. Mrs. Chiriaco explains that, after two years of loyal use, she never faced any problems with Wooclap. In addition to its simplicity and reliability, the interactive side of the tool is particularly interesting for the teacher.

Why use Wooclap in class?

Initially, the idea was to make students more active and to find a way to stimulate thinking and reflection during the classes.

Teachers realised that their traditional teaching method no longer worked with the new generation of students. Many of them analysed the issue and decided to take a course given by the Catholic University of Louvain.

During those few days, they were able to discuss topics like active pedagogy and new teaching methods, and it was during these sessions that some were introduced to Wooclap. The professors sought to breathe new life into their courses, and Wooclap was the answer.

There is a real desire from the entire teaching community to include students in a more active pedagogy, to encourage them to participate become more involved. For students, the challenge is to learn to think independently and ask themselves questions. Teachers want to introduce content as a set of questions that need answering, and Wooclap is the perfect tool to meet this challenge.

Technology in education: threat or opportunity?

According to Mrs. Chiriaco, technology is a great opportunity. She adds many links to YouTube tutorials in her lectures, which she believes enrich the course content. There are quite a few other resources online, including questionnaires for example, beloved by students and improving pedagogy.

What are the benefits of Wooclap for the teacher?

Wooclap transforms the student into an actor of his own education and helps him to better remember important information. Most importantly, Wooclap is very easy to use and meets the needs teachers now face.

What are the benefits of Wooclap for students?

At the end of class, Mrs. Chiriaco asks her students to evaluate the platform and the feedback is always very positive.

A small difficulty worth mentioning is that students are forced to move at the same pace. Some students answer a question quickly, while others may take more time, but this is a reality in any type of group learning. Luckily, Wooclap includes the ability to create questionnaires, which allow students to respond at their own pace, without being pressured by their peers.